Failure to stop at red light leads to accident

WILLIAMSON — A two-vehicle collision that occurred Wednesday afternoon between a SUV and a Frontier Communications service truck was the result of a driver failing to stop at the traffic light at the cut-thru in Williamson on U.S. Rt. 119.

Williamson Police Department Patrolman D. Paige investigated the accident and spoke with 2 West Virginia State Police (WVSP) troopers that witnessed the crash. WVSP Sgt. R. Frye and Trooper T.G. Kania III were traveling in the northbound lane of U.S. 119 when they observed a 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan run a red light and strike the Frontier truck that was in the process of turning from U.S. 119 onto Rt. 52 West.

The driver of the Dodge Caravan, Ashley Owens, of Stone, Ky., told the officers she seen the light turn red but was already too far into the 4-way intersection to stop. Curtis Bevins, of W. Williamson, was operating the service truck and stated that his light had turned green and he had begun to proceed with his turn when he was struck by Owens.

The Caravan spun completely around and slammed up against the concrete wall of the General Fogelsong Bridge and suffered extensive damage to the front and left side of the vehicle. The truck traveled approximately 200-300 ft. before coming to a stop on Rt. 52 and sustained a substantial amount of damage to the front of the vehicle.

Owens signed a medical refusal form and denied any injuries from the mishap. Bevins was taken to the Williamson Memorial Hospital to be evaluated and was complaining of shoulder pain while at the scene. Owens was cited by Patrolman Paige for failure to obey a traffic control device.

Firefighters and EMT’s with the Williamson Fire Department responded to the accident, along with STAT Ambulance.